… while another survives close call

The Fire Service was called out again this afternoon in Belize City but quick reaction from neighbours averted disaster. According to witnesses, around three thirty this afternoon, someone noticed smoke coming from Eleanor Cumberbatch’s home at number six West Street. Cumberbatch was at work but luckily her mother lives across the street and was on hand to supervise the response.

Marie Cumberbatch, witness“I just come out on my veranda, right over there sitting there talking and the young lady yah seh ‘fire deh dah Miss Elly house, fire deh da miss Elly house.’ When I look I see the smoke the gash through the window deh and I just start to call out ‘fire’ and everybody just run in. And when the boys come I tell them if they have to bruck the door down, bruck down whatever fi get inside. And then we get in touch with my daughter dah her work. And the fire pump come but when the pumps came the boys had everything under control. They bruck out the windows and start throwing water, you could see that they bruck the thing here that they could have got water.”

Marion Ali
“You mean the neighbours?”

Marie Cumberbatch
“Yes, neighbours.”

Marion Ali
“So nothing was destroyed?”

Marie Cumberbatch“Well I noh know because I noh gone into the room yet because in there is wet and I’m scared of sliding down in there you know, but I don’t know what is the extent of the damage inside.”

Marion Ali
“Was it the middle room?”

Marie Cumberbatch“Yes the middle room, the middle room, the middle room. It was the middle room.”

Marion Ali
“So for the most part everything was saved.”

Marie Cumberbatch“I guess, I guess. If anything do destroy it would be in the middle room mainly. I guess the other rest of things out this side suffered water damage by throwing the water, but aside from that I don’t think any major damage has been done.”

The house is owned by Marie’s other daughter, forecaster Katharine Cumberbatch. Investigations into the cause of the second incident are also ongoing.

Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.